


Midnight Trains

by kyrieanne



Series: Trains Series [2]
Category: Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-03
Updated: 2013-04-03
Packaged: 2017-12-07 08:33:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/746478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyrieanne/pseuds/kyrieanne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lizzie and Darcy run into one another at a train station. He has a proposal. Post- Pemberley Arc. Sequel to "The Truth About Trains"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Midnight Trains

The only way of catching a train I have ever discovered is to miss the train before. 

\- G.K. Cherterton 

***

Lizzie misses her train. She misses it by five minutes. The wheel to her suitcase get caught in a divet on the platform. She is running so fast that she almost doesn’t even notice that the handle has slipped from her grip. But the loss of the bag’s weight sends her skidding to a stop. The bag has fallen over and when she looks back at it something in Lizzie’s chest collapses too. 

What is she doing? 

“Don’t think, Lizzie,” her father hugged her at the ticket counter, “For once, don’t follow your head.” 

But what else is she supposed to follow? The obvious answer is her heart, but Lizzie isn’t really sure what that means because she just missed her train. If the universe wanted her to follow her heart, then why would it let her miss her train? 

“Lizzie?” 

And then there he is. Lizzie actually laughs when she turns around and sees him, coat slung one arm and bag in the other. She touches her throat and he takes half a step toward her.

She licks her lips, “Darcy.” 

“Are you going somewhere?” he nods toward her suitcase. 

“Yes, but I seem to have missed my train,” she swallows. 

“Oh,” he tucks his chin and something in Lizzie’s stomach turns over, “can I be of assistance? Maybe get you on the next one?” 

He was always doing that, she thinks, asking if she is alright and how he might help. It’s something she never noticed until now. She bites back a smile because it is such a stupid thing for him to say right now. They’re both at the Longbourne train station and he asks if he can help her catch the next train? 

“Ask me where I was going,” she says in a rushed breath before she loses her nerve. 

This catches him off guard. 

“Where were you going?” 

“San Francisco.” 

“For business or pleasure.” 

“I’m not sure,” she shifts, “I was going to see you. To talk to you. Lydia told me what you did.” 

“I came to see you,” he stares at her when he says it and Lizzie can’t remember why she thought he hated her all those months ago at Netherfield. How could she have read animosity in that gaze? 

“For business or pleasure?” 

“Neither or both,” he struggles with the words, “I have a proposal for you.” 

***

After his first board meeting Darcy threw up in his father’s executive bathroom. Technically it was his bathroom then, but to Darcy it remained his father’s office until three years later when Gigi demanded he redecorate. 

He can still remember the tightness in his chest as he sat at the head of the conference table. On the outside he remained calm, but inside he was a mess. The board was questioning whether he was old enough to head up the company. There were investors to assure and employees to console. And his responsibilities to Pemberley paled in comparison to the 12 year-old sister waiting for him at home. Two months after the accident she still crawled into his bed at night. 

“Be bold,” Reynolds advised before they walked into the meeting, “Your father was bold. Confidence covers a multitude of sins.” 

Like youth, Darcy thought, and fear and everything else that he saw when he looked in the bathroom mirror. So he was bold. He was confidant and assured. He had always been smart, though not articulate. In the first minutes of the meeting he struggled to put words to what he knew, which was that he could do this. More so he wanted to do this. For the first time in his life, he wanted something other than to put distance between him and his father’s shadow. And somewhere in that wanting, yearning for it so much it actually made him thirsty, Darcy found the words. 

He articulated his vision, sold them on why he was the man for the job, and never let himself wonder if they would believe him. He believed in himself, so why shouldn’t they? And it worked. The board voted with him. And after he shook their hands, Darcy smoothed his tie, excused himself, and went to his father’s bathroom to throw up. 

Ever since then, whenever he wanted something - be it a contract or partnership or a woman - Darcy went back to that first board meeting. He was not necessarily smooth or charming as a CEO, but he was a force of nature. He was bold and Reynolds was right. It did cover a multitude of sins. 

And now with Lizzie Bennet, Darcy tries to go back that head space. He suggest they sit down and waits while she picks up her bag. She is uneasy and Darcy reminds himself of what he practiced on the train. Inside his bag is a proposal for Lizzie to partner with Pemberley on their launch of Domino. She was the storyteller and him the executive. He knows they would be good together. He just has to remember to be bold. 

“I have a proposal for you.” 

“I need to know why,” she stammers. 

“Why what?” 

“Why did you buy that company? Why did you save my sister?” 

She looks at him when she asks and in the silence that follows she doesn’t look away. At some point Darcy has gotten used to Lizzie looking away when they held eye contact for too long. Now he is the one who breaks away and looks at his knees. The truth is jumbled in a knot in his chest and he blinks because this wasn’t what he planned on. He was here to propose a partnership, not to make her feel even more obliged to him. He wants to be on even ground with Lizzie Bennet. 

And that is why boldness fails him in the moment. He swallows hard, but the words aren’t there. This isn’t a board room and she is not something to be acquired or someone to be managed. She is more than that and with her he can’t pretend. He can’t be anything but himself around her because what he wants with her is too important. He wants her to want to be with him and not some version - CEO or not - of him. Panicked, he shoves the folder into her hands and stares at the people coming and going as she reads it. 

“You’re offering me a job?” she frowns. 

“A partnership,” he clarifies quickly. He wants her to know he values her talent. They would be equals in this. 

She pages through the memos on Dominos’ goals, its potential, and Pemberley’s prospects. Darcy waits. He watches the people coming and going. He sneaks a look at Lizzie’s profile. There is a swell in his chest that always comes when he looks at her. This woman exists and she is everything he never expected to fall in love with, but that is part of why loves her. The unexpectedness of her, that the world could contain someone so amazing, is like a plumb line. It keeps him straight and does not let him waver. 

A train whistles and Darcy has an idea. 

“Lizzie,” he touches her wrist and she jumps. He retracts his hand and focuses on making his words steady, “Normally I don’t make business proposals in a train station. If we had met under more professional circumstances the offer would be made elsewhere. We would go somewhere and you could ask every question you wanted and we would have the space and time to figure this out. Come with me.” 

“Go with you where?” 

“I have a house on the coast,” She blushes and he frowns, “There is nothing untoward about my offer. My family has used it for years to entertain business acquaintances and friends. It has plenty of room and the view is lovely, even in the winter. I will answer any question you have, business or personal. We used to take the train there,” he points, “that is why I thought of it.” 

She looks down the platform and he can almost watch her shifting and weighing the offer. And for some unfathomable reason she nods. 

“Why not?” 

*** 

“Just a small town girl, livin’ in a lonely world

She took the midnight train goin’ anywhere”

-Journey 

***

Somehow Lizzie finds herself on a train with Darcy hurtling south toward the coast. She waits on the bench while he buys their tickets and she tries not to talk herself out of this. This was not her plan, but her father told her not to lead with her head and while she isn’t sure how her heart feels…she is trying to follow it. When Darcy said proposal her heart jammed up in her throat, but then he handed her the folder and it confirms that his feelings have changed. No matter what she feels - muddled as it is - it doesn’t matter.

Still she is going to get on a train with him because there is still the question of why and a folder sitting next to her on the bench with an amazing, fantastic business proposal that she’s not sure if she should take. 

The reality is she doesn’t know what comes next. Jane and Charlotte and even Lydia all seem to be growing up. Lizzie always thought of herself as a miniature grown up; she was always eager to be an adult. But after the past year she isn’t sure she wants to grow up. She knows she needs to leave home, but where does she belong? 

Going with Darcy, hearing him out on this proposal, and getting her questions answered seems to be the first step in answering that. 

“Lizzie, the train leaves in a half hour,” he snaps his pocket watch shut and even though she knew he carried one, Lizzie can’t help but roll her eyes. It cracks whatever nervousness is running through her veins. He is still Darcy, ridiculous hipster Darcy. 

“I’m going to get coffee,” Lizzie stands and points to the tiny cafe, “It’s almost midnight and if I’m going to stay awake on the train I need coffee.” 

“I’ll watch the luggage,” he offers. 

“Do you want something?” 

“Yes, please.” 

“You take it black, right?” He pauses as if surprised she knew his preferences. She almost reminds him of all those mornings in the Pemberley break room, but she doesn’t want to call attention to how she used to pay attention. He nods and starts to pull out his wallet. Lizzie shakes her head, “You got the tickets. I’ll get the coffee and we’ll pretend its even.” 

By the time she comes back with the coffees it is time to board. He carries her bag for her and Lizzie smiles. He may be an obscene hipster, but the old fashioned bits are completely authentic. 

“I’ve never been on a train,” she confesses as the porter takes their tickets. 

“Why did you start now?” 

“I thought a last minute train ticket might be cheaper than a last minute flight.” 

Darcy leads the way single file through the car. He checks the ticket stub and slides the door to a private compartment open. It is simple with seats that face one another and a table top that can slide up. There is a large window and the moon shines through it. Darcy puts their luggage in the compartment overheard.

“So your trip was unplanned?” 

“Everything about this is unplanned,” Lizzie slides onto one of the seats, “What about you?” 

“My trip to see you? It was planned. I’ve been planning it for a while,” he tucks the corners of his mouth as if self-conscious of his words, “I mean I have been planning the business proposal to you for a while. Ever since we decided to look for partners for Domino, I’ve had you in mind.” 

He does this thing, Lizzie realizes, where he trails off and the lilt of his voice rises as if giving room for possibility at the end. It does funny things to her. But she pushes that away because it doesn’t matter anymore. 

“So,” Lizzie sips her coffee, “what do you want to talk about first? Domino or Lydia?” 

*** 

“Tell me did you fall for a shooting star?” 

\- Train 

*** 

“Why did you buy the company?” 

“Because George Wickham was my responsibility. I should have exposed him the first time.” 

“You feel responsible for people, don’t you?” 

“I’m run a company that employs two hundred people and I raised Gigi. I don’t know how else to be.” 

“I don’t want you to feel responsible for me so if this proposal is something like that…” 

“No…this is business. It isn’t like that. You are good at what you do and I like to work with talented people.” 

“I haven’t said yes yet.” 

“But you will.” 

“Why is that?” 

“Because you’re a smart woman.” 

“And you are a confidant man.” 

“Yes, Lizzie Bennet, when it comes to this yes, I am.” 

*** 

Sometime long after midnight Lizzie falls asleep to the lull of the train. The sway pulls her under and when Darcy wakes her with a gentle hand to her shoulder she can’t even remember falling. He already has their luggage in hand and she follows him sleepily off the train, onto the platform, and to a waiting town car. They are beyond the din of a city; the stars are high in the sky. There is a driver and she hears Darcy greet the man. 

“It’s a few minutes to the house,” Darcy says as she climbs into the backseat, “I’ve called ahead. Your room is ready.” 

And there is a house silhouetted against the moonlight. It glows white and when Lizzie steps out of the car she gasps. It is a sleepy gasp and sounds more like a sigh. It is the fuzzy realization that she can hear the ocean. It is right over the swell of sand dunes and the house sits right there overlooking it. It is a sweet thing and when she sees it something in Lizzie realizes how tired she really is. She is tired of late nights kept awake with worry and doubt. She is tired of feeling like everyone knows what they are doing but her. She is tired of being wrong about everyone. 

A woman meets them inside the front door. 

“What are you doing to this poor girl dragging her around California in the middle of the night?” the woman scolds Darcy. She is old enough to be his mother. He doesn’t smile, but he doesn’t frown either. 

“Are my messages on my desk?” he asks.

She blusters, “You need to go to bed too. It’s 4 a.m.” 

“Show Lizzie to her room and don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine,” he takes steps toward what Lizzie assumes is the study, but stops and turns, “Good night Lizzie.” 

It is formal and Lizzie really isn’t sure what to say. She really just wants to crawl between sheets right now. She murmurs goodnight and follows the woman - who introduces herself as Mrs. Tursk - upstairs. In her stupor, Lizzie can’t form impressions of the house or her room. The housekeeper shows her the adjoining bathroom and lets her know not to worry about an alarm. She should sleep as long as she like and breakfast would be there when she woke up. 

“You’d think a man with his manners would know better than to make you travel through the night,” she mutters. 

“Really - it was me. Or it was both of us. I’m not really sure. It wasn’t planned.” 

Mrs. Tursk - and Lizzie has no idea who this woman thinks Lizzie is - smiles, “The best things are dear.” 

And then she is gone and Lizzie sheds her pants, pulls on a t-shirt, and crawls between the sheets. She actually whimpers at the feel of cotton against her legs. She curls around a pillow and lets the weariness of the last year, the last month, and the last few hours wash over her. 

She’d gone to the train station to go ask Darcy why and see his face when he answered. And on the train she’d gotten that. He’d bought the company because he felt obligated. He felt responsible. It hadn’t been for her after all, but for his own personal sense of honor. 

And right before she slips into slumber, Lizzie remembers that annoying truth about trains - the one her dad taught her: it is about the connections. And the reality is Darcy’s words and his actions don’t connect. The facts lined up with what she knows of him, but what Lizzie saw when she looked him in the eye as he explained himself - there with something missing there. There was a hesitancy she was not used to when it came to William Darcy. 

But that connection - the one she is missing - is something that can wait till morning. For right now, sleep is all Lizzie cares about. Outside her window the stars could fall into the ocean and all she would care about is that finally, inexplicably, she finds a peaceful sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> There will be at least a 3rd part. Also, everything I know about riding on a train I’ve learned from watching Harry Potter and White Christmas.


End file.
